Thursday, March 22, 2012

I've noticed something while going through bookstores both new and used. As I've been preparing these lists for you, writing lists of books for me and my family, and studying book lists from various places I've gained a large knowledge of book titles and authors and now its easier to find books that I might not have otherwise.

Yesterday, while I was waiting for my ultrasound appointment, my husband and I went to a thrift store. We originally went to look for a coffee table for our "Chalkboard Table" business, but while I was there, I HAD to look for books. {Smile} I ended up taking out 24 books, many of them nice hardcovers, for $4.35~ what a deal!

Here's what we brought home:

Adult/Scholar Books:
Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
The Deerslayer by James Cooper
20,000 Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (This I got because it was small. We have 2 other hardback copies)
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie

Sorry for it being sideways. Thanks to the cellphone for that one.

Kid books:

Heros Don't Run

A Boy no More---both by Harry Mazer. {We have A Boy's War also written by him}

Our house feels like a small zoo with animals and kids galore. Just in time for spring we ordered butterfly larvae and a butterfly garden to keep them in. Painted ladies to be exact. They just emerged from their cocoons today and the children are so excited. What a fun learning experience it has been.

Chickens:
We have five chickens now. They won't be ready to lay until this summer. They are so sweet and so fun.

We have a Buff Orpington, a New Hampshire Red, and a Brown Longhorn. We also have some pure breeds which are a blue cochin and a black silkie bantam.

Garden:
Last year's garden was so successful that we decided to expand it and also to give each child a small plot to grow what they want to. We suggested themes and many of them chose color themes. I ordered the seeds from an Heirloom site online called rareseeds.com. Here is what we ended up with.

Monday, March 19, 2012

My eldest daughter, who is 16, is knee deep into scholar phase. I'm so pleased with trusting the process of TJED.

When we first pulled her out of school we went through a two year "detox". She had such a difficult time with school and her self esteem was shot. By the time I pulled her out, I put her into Core phase and my only goal with her at that time was to nurture and build her self esteem. The other children were going through similar experiences but not to the extent that she was. She was also diagnosed with autism: Aspergers with high anxiety. She could barely read and hated learning and hated school.

As I read, I mentored and we did {do} a LOT of reading aloud. This post isn't to go over our long journey, but if there is interest in that I can post more on it later.

She is blossoming, happy, centered, and I'm very pleased to say you can barely tell she has anything going on with autism.

This is what has been working best for her now...

Here is what she has read so far this year {2012}:

Religious Books

Finished the Book of Mormon

A Marvelous Work and A Wonder by LeGrand Richards

The Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball

The Last Days by Avraham Gileadi

A Witness and a Warning by Ezra Taft Benson

Classic Literature

Song of Roland ~Unknown

The Confessions ~ St. Augustine

Julius Caesar by Shakespeare

Hamlet by Shakespeare

All's Well That Ends Well by Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare

Othello by Shakespeare

The City of God {book 8} by St. Augustine

The Virginian by Owen Wister

The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

The Koran {The Cows}

Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

Old Yeller by Fred Gipson

Beowulf ~Unknown

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Ecclesiastical History of the English People by the Venerable Bede

Other Literature:

Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

Ten Peas in a Pod by Arnold Pent III

Nancy Drew and the Sky Phantom {She loves Nancy Drew, but only gets to read them every now and then or on her own time}

Nancy Drew and the Mysterious Mannequin

Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with the Circus by James Otis

ABC Murders by Agatha Christie

Homesick: My Own Story by Jean Fritz

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

Science:

Astronomy: A Self-Teaching Guide

On the Revolution of Heavenly Spheres by Nicolas Copernicus

Reading for Educational Subjects:

A Rulebook for Arguments by Anthony Weston

Lives of the Musicians by Kathleen Krull {We all agree this was kind of negative}

The Annotated Mona Lisa {Art History}

This Week

We have our mentor meetings each Sunday evening or Monday morning. Here's this week's list of things to do that we prepare together. She sets the goals and sometimes does more and I encourage and mentor where needed.

History Timeline: 400 AD-1600 AD

Book Report: The Ecclesiastical History of the English People by the Venerable Bede

History:

Begin the Inferno by Dante. Get to at least page 213 by Sat. (Our copy has Italian on one side and English on the other so it's half of that first #)

The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome by Susan Wise Bauer read to page 777. {Pretty sure she is finishing the book}

Thursday, March 15, 2012

We are like rubber bands. When we grow and progress in any area or get past any obstacle in our lives it is like we are stretching to new heights. We’re stretching beyond our limitations. Once we’ve stretched, learned and gained the wisdom from those experiences we can never go back to the previous shape. You are a better person with what you’ve learned through the growing process.

Read articles written to enhance your home, self, and family. Discover new and delicious recipes. Enjoy the support and encouragement shared for women...

This ebook features articles previously featured on the Homemaking-Cottage.com‘s Deluxe Edition emagazine and is considered a back-issue.This ebook includes articles such as:

Elevate your Life

Pita Pizza with Squash and Tomato

Book Rating System

Bless Your Home With Gratitude

Ratatouille Bake

Namaste: Yoga before bed

Ten Things I Am Letting Go Of

Reach Out: Recycle

Mommy Maintenance

Go Ahead and Make Mistakes

Burgers With Cucumber Sauce

Cheap Home Makeovers

The Rhythm of Our Days

And so much more!

Features 19 unique and inspiration articles.

Pages: 40+

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